( NYPost )
Larry Allen, the dominant Hall of Fame offensive lineman who spent 12 of his 14 NFL seasons with the Cowboys, died suddenly on Sunday while on vacation with his family in Mexico, the team announced Monday.
He was 52.
“Larry, known for his great athleticism and incredible strength, was one of the most respected, accomplished offensive linemen to ever play in the NFL,” the Cowboys said in a statement.
“His versatility and dependability were also signature parts of his career. Through that, he continued to serve as inspiration for many other players, defining what it meant to be a great teammate, competitor and winner.”
No cause of death was immediately released for Allen, who is survived by his wife Janelle and children, Jayla, Loriana and Larry III.
“The Jones family and the Cowboys extend their deepest condolences, thoughts and prayers to the Allen family and grieve along with the many other friends and Cowboys teammates that also loved Larry,” the statement continued.
Allen, a second-round pick out of Sonoma State in 1994, was an 11-time Pro Bowler, mostly as a guard, for the Cowboys from 1994-2005, and was a member of Dallas’ 1995 Super Bowl squad.
He played his final two NFL seasons with the 49ers and was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio in 2013.
“Just received the heartbreaking news of the passing of our beloved teammate Larry Allen,” Troy Aikman posted on X, along with a broken-hearted emoji. “He was a HOF offensive lineman that dominated opponents regardless of the position played. Off the field, he was a gentle giant that loved his family. Rest in Peace LA.”
Known for his speed for his size (6-3, 335) and his strength — he reportedly once bench-pressed 700 pounds — Allen anchored the Cowboys’ offensive line in front of star quarterbacks Aikman and Tony Romo.
Allen also played left and right tackle, but he was named to the All-Decade team of the 1990s and 2000s as a left guard.
“The National Football League is filled with gifted athletes, but only a rare few have combined the size, brute strength, speed and agility of Larry Allen,” Hall of Fame president Jim Porter said in a statement. “What he could do as an offensive lineman often defied logic and comprehension.”
The Compton (CA) native once was stabbed 12 times while protecting one of his brothers, and he attended four different high schools before playing collegiately at Butte College and Sonoma State.
“Wow…def someone I hoped to meet one day ! RIP LEGEND!!” current Cowboys star Micah Parsons posted on X, along with a crying emoji.
The Cowboys said memorial service arrangements were in the process of being planned.
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